My Mythicality
by TheSiren913
Summary: Link's dark past creates problems as lovers become victims. Rhett is protective while defending his friendships.
1. Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

"I don't want you to go." I pouted, sticking out my lower lip. An entire week away seemed excessive. But as ever, Rhett was determined to for the trip to be a success, and he wanted to give himself enough time to do it. He had come to say goodbye, but I wasn't prepared to have one of my favorite men leave the country without me.

"It will go by fast." He kissed my forehead, then lifted my chin to kiss me, and smiled. "You'll barely notice I'm gone. Besides, Link is here to take care of you." His eyes twinkled suggestively.  
Rhett knew full well that wouldn't pacify me. "You know you'll be missed." I shook my head, rolling my eyes at him. If he wasn't sure of his importance in the relationship by now, he never would.  
It was uncommon, unheard of, even, for Rhett to travel for business without Link. But GMM had to continue, and Rhett had an opportunity to investigate an old family story that he couldn't pass up in Scotland. The plan was for him to do some investigative journalism and report each day of that week's GMM. Unfortunately, that meant he was gone for a while, and far away from me.

"Dizzy." Rhett hugged me tightly. "I know. I'll miss you guys, too." He bent down to nuzzle into my neck, "You have no idea." Chills went down my spine. He had such a way of exciting me with so few words. The nuzzle soon turned into kissing, and the heat between my legs grew. The scruff of his beard tickled me.

Playfully, I jumped up, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. "You can't go!" I spoke matter of factly. He held me easily with his arms at his sides. My weight wasn't typically an issue for his bad back. He laughed and turned around a couple times, but when I wasn't deterred, he began to go about his business. I was determined to be silly and not let go, giggling incessantly. To my disgust, he started heading for the bathroom. " Okay, Okay!" I laughed and released him, but he grabbed my legs, and I had to scramble to regain my grip on him so I didn't fall. When he was sure I had myself secure, he continued over towards my sofa. I had a feeling I knew where this was going. With one swift movement, he dumped me on my back, and came down on top of me. I smiled up at him. Our lips met as we wrapped our arms around each other.

"I wish I had time to fuck you." He growled into my ear. I teased him and ground myself against him. He kissed me again, harder this time, and I could feel his erection growing between us.

 _Damn your stupid schedule._

I was determined to make him stay, just a while longer. I returned the kiss eagerly. "Please..." I moaned softly.  
I knew I had won when he began to fumble with the buttons on his jeans. We each desperately tugged at our own clothing. Shirts went flying, pants were kicked aside, and his boxer briefs had barely made it past his knees before he was inside of me.  
"Oh, Jesus, Rhett!" I couldn't contain myself. My hands roamed across his back and his ass, pulling him to me. I could never get enough of him.  
He thrusted into me with increasing speed, faster and harder, until I could hardly breathe. The feel of him inside of me was overwhelming, as usual. His size and length would never cease to shock me. It was so fast that I couldn't believe how quickly I came, but my body responded before I had time to think.  
A scream erupted from my lips. "YESSS!" My body spasmed as I found my orgasm. I held on for dear life as Rhett continued, pushing until he found his own climax.  
"Fuuuuck." He groaned as he came, pulling out of me and letting it land all over my breasts. He looked at me, laying there, and grinned in satisfaction. "That will never stop being hot."  
With a smile of my own, I bit my lip. "Clean me up?" I asked.  
He grunted as he stood and retrieved a towel from the kitchen. I watched his backside as he walked away from me and whistled. He began to sway his hips in an exaggerated movement, and I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity, as he placed his hands on his waist like a pageant girl.

 _God, I love him_.

He returned and gently began to wipe my chest. Once he was finished, he gave one of my breasts a playful slap, watching it jiggle.  
"Shit, I have to go!" An alarm sounded on Rhett's phone, reminding him to head to the airport. He scrambled to pull all of his clothes back on. I stood there, naked, knowing full well he would be dressed before I got my underwear back on. He smoothed his shirt, and looked up over at me. His eyes narrowed as he walked towards me. "Time to go." My breath faltered a little as he looked me up and down. My skin tingled as he raised my arms to put around his neck. "You're so _sexy_." The way he looked at me took me back to how I'd felt that first day, back in their office.

 _Holy shit._

His hands traced my figure. I pushed him away, laughing.  
"Get going before I throw you back on that couch!" I flashed him a dazzling smile.  
He moved in to kiss me quickly, then walked to the door. He stepped out, then stepped backwards, leaning back to ogle at me.  
"Mm mm. I'll be thinking about that on the plane."  
"GO!" I laughed again, throwing a pillow at him.


	2. Alone

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Work wasn't the same. Rhett added an important dynamic to the office, and without it, we were all a bit off. Normalcy was /The good thing about this whole situation was that I could now have some time alone with Link. We had some intimate rendezvous before, but none for a prolonged period of time. The purpose of our roles in this relationship were clear, but without Rhett, Link had no one to rein him in. It would be interesting to see how he behaved without his partner. Or if he behaved at /"Morning, beautiful." Link murmured softly as he joined me at the counter in the break room as I was preparing my coffee. I quickly checked behind and around to us to see if anyone was within earshot. Fortunately, it seemed everyone had already moved on to their respective /Link chuckled. "No worries, I looked first." With that, I leaned over and gave him the quickest peck on the cheek I could /He drew back from me with a look of mock surprise and used that ridiculous voice he reserved for his "Mythical Mom" character. "Desiree! I'm yourspan style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"boss/span! That is span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"inappropriate/span!" With that, he stepped closer and spoke more quietly. "...Do it again."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"No way, buddy/span./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"I laughed and winked at him, sauntering out of the room with my mug in tow./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;".../p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""The McLaughlins are deeply rooted in this town's lore." Rhett's voice came over the Skype call, from Link's laptop. We'd have to take the footage and blow it up for the audience later. "Apparently my great great great, whatever amount of great, grandfather was a bit of a hero. Saved a town from a dragon!"br /Link's face was skeptical, but smiling. "You sure about that? A dragon?"br /"Hey, it's what the lore says, must be true." Rhett insisted facetiously. "Anyway, I'm following some leads now, going to head to the local pub for a brewsky and chat up some locals. You know, for posterity."br /"All right man, well be safe, tell Alex to watch out for you, or you watch out for him, whichever of you gets in trouble first." Link laughed. "All right, you know what time it is!" He ended the call, and beckoned for the Wheel of Mythicality to be pushed over. The improv read, "Link is a really bad ballroom dancer."br /Before I knew it, Link was gesturing for me to join him on set. Baffled, I obliged, but thought this would be just as easy for him on his own. He grabbed my waist and my hand, and began to flail around with /"I'm not a good dancer!" He cried in a strange accent, practically throwing me around, causing me to trip and stagger /My feet struggled to keep up with him. "No, you're really not!" I pretended to be /"Cut!" Stevie called out, and we all began to laugh. "Good job!"br /.../p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"That afternoon, I received a text message on my way to the car./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"strongGot plans? - Link/strong/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"I giggled to myself, feeling a wave of nervous excitement hit me./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"strongYou suggesting something? - Dizzy/strong/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The response was quick./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"strongAlways. :p My place? I'll cook?- Link/strong/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"strongI can't pass that up. I'll meet you there soon. Running by my house first. - Dizzy/strong/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"My pace quickened as I got into my car and started it up. I had to grab a few things for tonight./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;".../p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Fortunately, my home wasn't too terribly far from work. Within 30 minutes I was home and throwing things in an overnight bag. I peered into my nightstand drawer, and smiled./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Perfect./span/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;".../p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Link's smile was disarming. Something about that boyish grin made my heart beat a little faster every time I saw it. His button up shirt was open a little at the top, and he looked like he was a bit overheated. He beckoned for me to come inside so he could shut the /"Hey baby. It's hot in here. And it's not just me!" He chuckled at his own /I stepped inside and fanned myself. It WAS hot. "Trying to burn the place down?" I /"The whole house gets warm whenever we use the stove. I've got some fans running and turned up the A/C." Link turned, and I followed him back to the kitchen and took a seat at the breakfast bar. Whatever it was smelled really /Link sensed my curiousity. "Garlic chicken. It's awesome. Hopefully you'll like it, too."br /"It SMELLS awesome." I observed as he moved around, chopping up ingredients for a salad. "Can I help with anything? I have a hard time not contributing."br /He shot a lasvisious grin in my /"With DINNER, Link." My laughter only encouraged him. He began swiveling his hips lewdly, with the most ridiculous expression on his face, making some inappropriate gestures with some of the vegetables he was cutting. Soon, I was in tears from laughing so hard. He crossed the kitchen floor and kissed me /"I love you, you silly man!" I exclaimed, still smiling like an /My words seemed to elate him. "I love you too." He walked to the refrigerator to get something to drink. "I miss Rhett, but I was kind of excited to have you to myself, to be honest. It almost feels naughty."br /To be honest, I felt the same way. "I know. Good thing Rhett is okay with it. I don't think this whole relationship would work if he wasn't."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;".../p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Dinner was delicious. Link seemed pleased with himself as I cleaned my plate. We sat in the living room with our wine and talked as we digested, mostly about ideas for work, but also about random things. Places we wanted to visit, things on our bucket list, different people we would love to meet. Laughter was a huge part of this relationship, and it was never in short supply when I was talking to one of my boys. Link was in stitches as I described my first experience drinking at the age of 17. "So when I wake up, I'm in the hospital, half dressed, and I see my PARENTS sitting next to me. All I could do was blubber 'IM SO SORRY!'" I shook my head, recalling my humiliation at my father seeing my so scantily clad. "And I was SO sick. For days after. I ran into someone who was at that same convention, and they remembered it. People STILL talk about it."br /"Oh my gosh, that's so bad!" Link laughed. "What were you wearing?"br /"A chainmail bra, with electrical tape over my nipples." I slapped my hand over my /He laughed again, until he said thoughtfully, "I'd like to see you in that..."br /"Well, I don't have an outfit, but I did bring something that I thought might be fun."br /His eyes darkened and he smiled, "Oh, really? Why don't we head upstairs?"br /I made him laugh again as I shot into the kitchen, grabbed my bag, and ran upstairs. I heard him coming up behind me, slower, which gave me just enough time to unpack the /My vibrator was pretty girly. It was in the shape of a mermaid, her tail protruding to stimulate the clitoris as the rest of her rotated and vibrated inside. However, the clitoral stimulation was always negligible, so I used a second one with a strong vibration for that. I set them on the bed just as Link walked /"Oh..." Link smiled wickedly. "Oh, yes please." Just like that, he sat in the chair facing the foot of the bed./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"Oh. Okay/span./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"I hadn't imagined it being the "Desi Show" so abruptly. However, awkwardness was not going to ruin my fun or the mood, I wouldn't let it. I moved closer until I stood right in front of him, and then slowly, painstakingly slowly, I began to unzip my blouse. He inhaled sharply as my bra was exposed. The leopard print had the effect that I'd wanted. The blouse slipped from my shoulders, falling gracefully to the floor, and I turned my attention to my jeans. I unbuckled my belt, unbuttoned my pants, then turned to face away from him as I slid them down over my backside. I bent over as my ass was uncovered, my matching thong drawing a moan from him. My ego was being stroked so much that I became bold. I faced him again, biting my lip and looking him square in the eye. I backed away slowly, towards the bed, and picked up my toy. He watched me like a hungry wolf as I touched it, stroked its length, and put it into my mouth to wet it. His erection was clearly /I drew my knees up as I sat on the edge of the bed and scooted backwards until I could lean back into some pillows. My mermaid lay ready. However, I decided to tease myself with the other one first. The buzzing was a bit loud, but it wasn't distracting enough to disrupt the mood. I placed it over my clit through my panties, and immediately felt aroused. As I rubbed, I watched Link as he gazed at my pussy, beginning to touch himself. Soon, I felt the overwhelming need to add penetration, and I pushed my panties to the side to push the mermaid in. I turned her on, feeling the rotation inside me. The combination of the two vibrators and Link watching me pushed me to new level of pleasure. I began to climax, but stopped./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"What the hell?/span/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Link had crawled on to the bed with me and stopped my hands. "Let me." He said softly. With that, he repeated the movements, and I closed my eyes to enjoy the sensation. It didn't take me long to start climbing again. His hands worked harder than mine could, thrusting the already rotating vibrator in and out of me. My breathing sped /"Oh yes, yes baby, just like that, give it to me!" I cried, as his hands flew as fast as they could. "I'm gonna- oh FUCK!" My hands gripped the bed as I climaxed, and breathlessly, I watched Link's face. He looked satisfied and pleased with himself. As I caught my breath, he put the toys aside, slipped out of his pants, and took over. It wasn't long enough for me to recover, and soon a second climax was building as his girth touched every nerve I had. "Kiss me," I begged, and he met my lips with force. The feel of his skin, the deep, manly scent of him, and his blue eyes looking down at me was the pinnacle of my pleasure. I gripped his arms, feeling the sinewy muscle, solid with the effort of supporting his weight as he thrusted. He pulled up to give himself more leverage./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"As Link had said in the kitchen, something about this felt naughty without Rhett. With all my attention on him, I began to notice things I hadn't before: the way he panted as he got excited, the way his fingers flexed on the sheets on either side of me, the feel of his breath on my neck as I felt him begin to /The pleasure overwhelmed me as I closed my eyes and came. "OH LINK!"/p 


	3. Sick

I woke to the smell of coffee. Upon rolling over, I noticed that Link was nowhere to be seen. A robe lay on the end of the bed. It was small, about my size, very obviously for a woman.

 _Red, hmm? They know me well_.

I slipped it over my shoulders and walked downstairs. I gathered the robe around me, feeling chilled from the A/C blasting. The soft plush felt like wearing a blanket. The early mornings didn't agree with me, typically, but I felt curiously awake today. Waking up at my boys' house had a tendency to do that to me.  
Link sat at the breakfast bar with a bowl of Mini Wheats and coffee, reading articles on his phone. "Morning, princess." He greeted me with a big grin, pushing the cereal box towards me. "Like the robe?"  
"It was very thoughtful, thank you!" I replied, hugging it around me. "It's perfect."  
Link smiled widely. We sat in sleepy silence for a moment while I poured my coffee and cereal, until he asked,  
"Can you stay all week with me?"  
I looked at him. He almost looked shy as he leaned back, kind of as if he were trying to look cool and save face, like it wasn't a big deal. It made him appear as a teenager again. His hair was tousled from our night together, flat on one side from sleeping on it. His stubble was the only thing that aged him, and even then, he looked young. My smile crept on to my face as I studied him.  
"I think I could do that. You'll get good and sick of me."  
He looked at me as if I had said something ridiculous. "Nah. It will be nice to have someone here while Rhett is gone. Otherwise it will get too quiet. Besides, we don't have to have sex if you don't want to, I mean, we don't even have to sleep together, I just thought-"  
He was silenced with my lips. His uncertainty was adorable, as if I could resist. Besides, I could think of no better way to spend my week. It would make for some good bonding time for the two of us. As I pulled away, he smiled with his eyes still closed. "Good." He said.  
"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed, spilling my coffee as I brought it to my lips. Well, this was a nice start to the day.

...

"His nickname was 'The Dragon' because he would come in and rob entire towns blind, basically. He hoarded money and anything valuable." Rhett had discovered more information about his family story. "It was awesome, man! So I go to this little hole in the wall place, look, I can see it from my window." He turned the camera so that you could see the tiny pub next to his little hotel room. "So apparently this guy was really bad, because as soon as I mentioned my name and the family story, a bunch of people offered things they'd heard. My great great whatever grandpa stood up to him. Haven't found all the details yet, just kind of rumors, but I'm going to a library later today to dig some stuff up. Lots of local stuff to see."  
Link looked impressed. "That's awesome! Keep us posted, man!"  
"Bye, brother."

Hearing Rhett's voice without being able to talk to him made my heart ache. We would talk every day when he was home. He had become my confidant, and lent an ear when I needed it, and often helped me to see things from a different perspective. Between the two of them, Rhett and I certainly had developed a closeness on our own that I hadn't yet formed with Link. I supposed that was why it was good for me to be having some time alone with Link this week, but I couldn't help missing Rhett dearly.  
I sighed loudly, unknowingly interrupting Link's improv. I hadn't even heard him announce it. My eyes grew wide as he looked over at me in surprise, and slight annoyance.  
"Desiree doesn't like this one, apparently!" He joked, and raised his eyebrow at me, obviously baffled at my outburst.  
...

The rest of the day was just as awful. Fortunately, no one said anything to me after the snafu on set. I think my embarrassment was obvious. On my way back to my office, I face planted into the floor, tripping over my own god-damned feet.

 _What at the fuck is wrong with me today_?

It seemed every clumsy action I could make happened. My speech was unclear, my focus was off, everything. By the time I got stuck in traffic on my way home, I felt ready to explode with anger. The world had it out for me today, it felt.  
...

My mood was dark. After embarrassing myself on set today, along with everything else, I was ready to relieve some tension. Link seemed to sense it as soon as I walked in the door to their house.  
"Dinner?" He offered. I simply grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs. He chuckled, but I was in no mind for jokes. My footsteps fell a bit heavy as I walked into the room at the end of the hall. Link moved to turn on the light, but I stilled his hand and pulled him to the bed.  
"Keep the lights off." I commanded. The obedience from him was intoxicating, and I felt myself calming a little. He sat as I pushed down on his shoulders, and I swiftly removed his t-shirt, despite barely being able to see him. We fumbled in the dark as we pulled at each other's clothing and clutched at each other. Before I knew it we were both naked, laying next to each other. I swung my leg over him, pushing him on to his back. The anger in me fueled my desire so much that I was practically clawing at him to get inside of me. He obliged, slower than I wanted, and I yanked his face to mine in order to kiss him. His cock touched my clit before he entered me.  
"Mmm." He murmured. He returned my kiss firmly, hands on my hips, grinding himself inside of me until I cried out. I began to lift and lower myself on him. The feel of him this way was impossibly good. The darkness seemed to hold the mood of my frustration. The anger in the air, the scent of Link, and my need to release my tension rose my arousal To an uncontainable level. Link complied beneath me, indulging my passion, and I felt I was in complete control.  
I continued, faster and faster, ignoring the ache in my legs. All my other senses heightened in the absence of my sight. The moans from Link sounded deafening, the slight sounds of our bodies, his cock filling me- all were more apparent than usual, simply from shutting the lights off. My orgasm began, and I tightened around Link, drawing more moans from him.  
"YES! OHHHHHHHH GODDDDD!" I was swept away, the intensity building and then crashing into me like a wave. In my ecstasy, I leaned down and kissed Link, pressing into his mouth until it hurt. I bit his lower lip. Hard.  
My back hit the bed before I could think.

SMACK.

My head turned as he slapped me. I grinned as adrenaline coursed through me.

SMACK!

The pleasure in the pain added to my stimulation as he pounded into me now.  
"Is that all you've got?" I goaded him. My hips almost hurt from the force of his thrusts, but it was so amazingly good.

SMACK!

It was then that I began to realize that goading him may have been a mistake. I saw stars. He had clipped a bit of my temple as his hand came down, but it was dark, so I couldn't fault him for it. Besides, I had egged him on. I was fine. He would stop.

SMACK! SMACK! SMACK!

He hit the side of my head. My ears were ringing. I could barely make out my own voice as I said, "Link-"

BAM!

Pain exploded on the left side of my face. I realized, now too late, that I was potentially in deep trouble. Rhett's warnings came back to me now, and I yearned for my protector to be here again. There was no one to keep Link in check. There was no opportunity to have him look at me to appeal to him; I was at his mercy in the dark, where it felt I couldn't reach him, even with our bodies being so entwined.

BAM!

I thought maybe he would stop. Maybe he would realize when too much was too much. He had to. This was me, we had talked about this.

BAM!

I recalled with horror the story that Rhett had told me forever ago. _He almost broke her jaw... He cares about you...he wouldn't mean to hurt you... He just gets caught up..._ I began to panic.

BAM!

The onslaught of slaps and backhanded hits were too much. "LINK!" I cried, scrambling to cover my head, frantically pulling away. My ears were still ringing, and I knew there would be bruising and swelling. But it seemed that my words fell on deaf ears. Link was seeing red, somewhere else in his mind.

BAM!

Another blow hit my under my chin, around my hands. The cruelty was unfathomable from my Link.  
"LINK! LINK PLEASE! STOP!" I waited, bracing myself for another hit. Instead, I heard Link panting, and then...The light turned on, blinding me, and I withdrew into a fetal position towards the headboard. After a few moments, Link spoke tentatively.  
"Baby? Des?" He crawled towards me. I flinched as he grabbed my arm, pulling my hands away so he could look at my face.  
"Oh my God! Baby! Oh my God!" Tears streamed down his face. He reached to touch me, but I recoiled, earning a sob from him. "Des! I didn't- oh, oh no..." He buried his face in his hands.

Normally, I would have been right there to comfort him, but the pulsing in my face was proof that he had a problem. While I knew that he hadn't meant it, that whatever it was that drove him to be so violent was responsible for his sickness, I couldn't bring myself to touch him. My footsteps sounded distant as I practically ran from the room, and locked myself in the bathroom. I gasped when I saw my reflection.  
My left cheek was swollen and red, my eye squinting slightly. My lower lip had been cut somehow, presumably from a fingernail or from catching on my teeth. There was no covering it. And I was sure that it would look even worse tomorrow when it began to bruise. My Link did this to me. My Link who loved me, who had always been so wonderful. I sat against the door, angry with myself for not being careful, angry with him for giving in to his temptation, hurt that I wasn't enough for him to keep his wits about him. With my head in my arms, I cried until I couldn't shed any more tears.


	4. Contrition

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" He couldn't stop repeating it. I held the ice to my cheek, wincing at the pressure. His face mirrored my expressions, as if feeling all of my pain himself, tears still reddening his face. We sat on the couch downstairs, tending to my face.  
My Link. It was hard to imagine that had been him, in the dark, hitting me without restraint. This beautiful man who sat before me wasn't the same guy. It couldn't be. My confusion obviously showed, because he looked down in shame.  
"I... I have no excuses."  
Part of me so very much wanted to find one for him, though. "Link, why... Rhett said you had done this kind of thing before. But... Why? Where did you learn this?" My heart and my head were giving me very different directions at the moment, but in this instance I listened to my heart. I knew with certainty that this man loved me. I knew he would never in his right mind hurt me, and that this behavior was not him. Whatever had triggered his reaction up there had been the real enemy. My head screamed at me the entire time, and it took every bit of self control to ignore it.

 _He just hit you, to HURT you, and you're staying? How stupid can you be?_

Link put his head in his hands. After a few deep breaths, he was able to start. "My uh- my sitter used to hit me, growing up." He spoke as if it were painful for him. I watched as he struggled to choke out the words, swallowing sobs, obviously with difficulty. "The things she would do... I was like a punching bag... Mom never knew. She would tell her I fell playing outside or something. And I was too much of a coward to say anything." His eyes closed, as if remembering. My one good eye was wide, unable to believe my ears.  
"One day, she took me to the basement... Told me to take off my pants, and do things to her, and she would do things to me..." He grimaced, wiping his eyes with his palms. "Anyway, she beat me to a pulp that day, when she was done. I got a concussion. She told Mom that some kids had beat me up, but Mom finally realized something was going on..."  
I had heard enough. I moved closer to him, putting my arm around his shoulder, tears falling for that little boy. He looked at me and shook his head.  
"Sometimes, I just get so... It just takes me back. It's like I'm not even in my own body anymore. All of a sudden I feel all those things I felt back then: the anger, the fear...It doesn't happen a lot anymore like it used to. I was getting better, with Rhett's help...He kept me in the present and focused." He looked pitiful, his anguish tearing my heart in two. "I hated women for a long time. I'd use them, usually just be a little rough with them, sometimes I would lose control. Rhett brought me back. He helps me control it. And then you came along."  
"Des... I love you. You have to believe that..." He trailed off, looking distant. "I'm sick. You shouldn't feel afraid when you are with me. You're the first woman I've really actually cared for, that I haven't wanted to hurt, and now that I have... Oh God, I hate myself for it."  
I struggled to digest what he was telling me. A borderline pyschopathic Link was not what I'd expected. His damage, his inner struggle was so well hidden that there wasn't even a hint of it day to day. Now, knowing that I was the only female he hadn't wanted to hurt, that he had desires to do these things... It was a lot to take in.  
His relationship with Rhett made so much more sense, now. Even when they had explained it, it hadn't hit home. Now that I'd become a victim of it, a part of the struggle, I felt an even more intense wish that Rhett was there with us.  
Link looked at me with pleading eyes. "Please. Please Desiree. I'll never- I'll never hurt you again. Please forgive me." He knelt in front of me and put his head on my knees.  
My heartstrings thrummed again with that familiar tug. Cautiously, I touched his hair. I began to run my fingers through it. "Link, you could have seriously injured me. More than this."  
He murmured his acknowledgement.  
"You are going to have to earn my trust back. I'll stay, but we are being careful from now on, and one more INKLING that something is off and I'm gone." It was more than I should have allowed.  
His face lifted to look at me, his tears turning into joyful ones. "Thank you." He said quietly.  
...

That night, we crawled into bed, with a small distance between us. I still couldn't quite bring myself to let him touch me too much. My face throbbed in a painful reminder. I fell into a restless sleep.

 _My hand hurt. She was pulling me hard. We walked down into the darkness. Her words were muffled, but I obeyed her, knowing what she wanted me to do. She touched me, where I knew she wasn't supposed to. I was crying, and she hit me. I couldn't fight her, I was too small, too weak. She began to hit me more, more until I couldn't stand up..._

"Link!" I cried, sitting up. The pounding in my head caused me to fall back to the pillows.  
Link woke with a start and rolled towards me. "What- what is it? Are you okay?" He reached to comfort me tentatively, not knowing if I was ready yet. I buried myself in his arms.  
"Link, I love you." I began to cry into his chest. His musky scent enveloped me, somehow feeling safe, familiar. My sympathy for him was overwhelming. His story had disturbed me to my core, and the dream had felt so vivid... I knew that I needed to hold on for him.  
He sighed with relief. "I love you," he said softly, "So much. And I'm going to prove it to you."

...

The bruising was horrific. The entire left side of my face was different shades of purple and blue. The swelling had gone down with the help of some Ibuprofen, but there was no hiding this with make up. I greeted the shocked stares at work with the explaination of falling down the stairs at my house; after my clumsiness yesterday, it was a believable story.  
Link clicked the icon to start the Skype with Rhett. "All right, how goes it, buddy?"  
"So get this- my great great great great however many greats grandfather's name was Loche. Isn't that a great name?" Rhett exclaimed.  
"Sure?" Link responded.  
Rhett was excited. His eyes twinkled like a schoolboy's. "So the great Loche was the only guy willing to stand up to the Dragon. Got his whole town to set up traps for him. As soon as the Dragon guy showed up, they were ready for him, and were able to capture him."  
Link smiled as he joked, "So, your great whatever grandfather was a home defense guy. Like an alarm system entrepreneur."  
Rhett thought about that a second. "Well, I guess if you put it THAT way..." The two men laughed. "He was a home defense genius!"  
Rhett continued, "That was the beginning, though. There are a bunch of legends that stemmed from that. My research the next couple days is going to be over those."  
I jumped as I heard my name mentioned. "I found stuff for Desiree, Stevie, Chase, Alex- you are ALL getting some pretty cool souvenirs when I get back!"

...

There were roses on my desk. I looked around, closed the door, and stepped close to examine them. The card read, "I love you." Of course he hadn't signed it, that would have been too risky at work. I couldn't help but smile. He was trying.  
I received a text on my phone.

 **I would like to take you to dinner. Can you be ready by 7? - Link**

Wow. He is REALLY trying.

 **That sounds lovely. Yes, I'll be ready. - Dizzy**


	5. Penance

He looked gorgeous. It wasn't uncommon for me to think that, of course, but he looked as though he had put extra effort in tonight. His hair was tousled perfectly. The sleeves of his blue striped button up were rolled to his elbows, and the collar was unbuttoned just enough to look casual. His dark wash jeans fit him immaculately. I felt my heart flutter as I opened the door.  
"You look great." Link smiled, offering me a rose. I wasn't one for flowers (I always thought they were kind of pointless,) but it was a nice gesture. His eyes swept to my own ensemble: a black and white jumper with lace straps and an overlay, flat strappy sandals, and some gold jewelry. I felt self conscious about my face, though. I was able to work some magic with make up by the afternoon, but traces of the bruising still showed through. My large sunglasses would help; I had shoved them in my bag. Link's eyes looked pained as they glimpsed it.

"Shall we go? " I asked, unwilling to venture to that subject yet. He looked at me, thankfully, and walked to open my car door for me.

...

It felt like a first date. As if we had never slept with each other, or been as intimate as we had. The previous night had completely changed our behavior around each other, and I hated it. I struggled to keep the mood light. The awkward silences in conversation were remnicient of some previous dates I had, when I couldn't wait for it to be over. Link wasn't one of those guys, we had already been close friends, and I still couldn't break through the barrier last night had created.  
We drove to a beach side restaurant, opting to sit outside. It was still quite warm, but not uncomfortable, with a nice breeze blowing. The sun sat lower in the sky, casting a gold haze over the ocean, touching everything with a kiss of evening glow. I sipped my water slowly, basking in the rays, ignoring the glare in my eyes. Link looked at me studiously.  
"What is it?" I asked. I tried not to be distracted by how ethereal his eyes looked in this light.  
Link leaned forward and smiled at me. "You know, you really are so beautiful. You look like you have a halo."  
I could see the hair out of my periphery alight with the sunshine. My eyes glanced down with pleasure at the compliment, then back to him.  
"And your eyes- your eyes look... This lighting really agrees with you." He became a little flustered, looking down at the table. It was rather adorable.  
"It agrees with you, too." I spoke shyly, more so than I expected. We sat quietly for what felt like forever. The silence was deafening, even with all the noise around us from the beach, from other people. The crash of the waves, the gulls overhead, and the bustle of groups walking by seemed to have been put on mute. It was excruciating, and I couldn't take it anymore.

"Okay, enough!" I exclaimed. "This isn't us, Link. This is ridiculous." He looked at me in surprise, sitting back slightly, unsure of where I was going with this.  
"We have to be able to be ourselves. You're my friend. It's never been hard to talk to you before." The discomfort was ruining everything, and I wasn't one to let things sit and fester. If we had any chance of moving forward, it had to be without the awkward unease.

 _Time to lay it all out on the table._

"Here it is: last night was terrifying. I never want it to happen again. I chose to forgive you. The thought of what you went through that made you like this is sickening to me, and I wish I could take it from you." I slowed, swallowing hard as I felt tears building up. "I love you, and I forgive you. I may jump and hesitate or whatever sometimes, but...we can get past this. I know we can. We have to, because I'm not willing to give up on you." My eyes were watering. I took my napkin and dabbed them quickly. "It goes against everything I know I should be doing, but I love you."  
Link just sat there, looking stunned. His eyes were pools of thought, so crystal blue, so bright in the evening sun. I found him mesmerizing.

 _No amount of time will change that_.

After a moment, Link leaned across the table and took my hands. "I don't deserve you." He touched my feet with his under the table. "But I'm going to damn well try."

...

The meal was wonderful, and the two of us were able to fall back into our familiar rhythm. Link regaled me with stories, we laughed, and I was even able to begin flirting with him again. I pushed last night to the back of my mind. Soon, that familiar flush of heat was back, and my admiration of his appearance turned into imaginings of doing unspeakable things to him. He seemed to sense my desire, and soon we were heading back to their house. Though it remained unspoken, we knew exactly what the other wanted.  
I thought.

...

"Wait here." Link hurried upstairs, leaving me in the foyer. I breathed deeply, trying not to think about yesterday evening. I didn't want to ruin tonight.  
Link reappeared shortly and extended his hand. I stepped up to walk with him, but I let out a squeal as he scooped me up in his arms and carried me. Up the stairs we went. He carried me with ease. I was surprised when instead of going down the hall, he turned into another room.  
It was lit with candles everywhere. Rose petals were scattered on the floor and the bed. The bed wasn't massive, probably a queen, but neatly made with deep green bedding. As I glanced around, I realized that this was his room. GMM and Mythical Entertainment memorabilia sat on his dressers, along with some other personal effects. I found myself even fonder of him when I realized that he had probably known the other room may have made me uncomfortable. Knowing that it was hard for him to express anything but contempt for a woman, it meant even more. It was so intimate; an invitation into his private space. And everything so overtly romantic that I had to giggle. It was as if he had read a WikiHow for a romantic evening.  
"What is it?" Link asked worriedly.  
I touched his cheek and kissed him softly. "You've just made me happy."  
He smiled, walking over to the bed, and laying me down. I expected him to be hurried and to undress me, but he just sat a gazed at me a moment with a smile on his face. Then he brought his lips to mine.  
This kiss was more intimate than any we had ever had. Simply focusing on kissing him let me study and memorize every sensation, the firmness of his lips, the curve of his tongue as it sought out mine, the way he behaved as if this act was in itself a way to say he loved me. I found myself enthralled, and completely lost all sense of mistrust or hesitation. This wasn't the same man I had been with yesterday.  
My hand reached up to palm his neck, just below his ear. My fingers grazed through his shorn hair. My kiss became more eager, more passionate, but he pulled away from me. I reached for him as he sat up. His eyes stayed locked on mine as he began to unbutton his shirt. I knelt up on the bed in time to slip it off his shoulders. Link pulled my arm gently, communicating what he wanted without words. I stood in front of him where he sat, allowing his deft fingers to untie the sleeves of my jumper, until he was able to slide it easily down my body. Once over my hips, it fell to the floor, and I stood there before him in my bra and panties. His eyes traveled up and down my body, looking at me as though I were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He pulled me to him, kissing me deeply, slowly laying me back down. The soft comforter was heavenly. I closed my eyes to savor this feeling.

 _He loves me._

Before he joined me, he removed his jeans. With us both in our underwear, I felt like a teenager again, exploring his body with a nervous anticipation. The hardness of his chest and shoulders, the slight stubble on his face and neck, all so manly, all so distinctly Link. His hands traced my body, cupping my breasts, holding on to my hips, finding the back of my knee and pulling it up so that a leg was wrapped around him. I felt his cock grow between us, and pressed against it. The feeling of it against my clit seemed 5,000 times more sensitive than usual, and I moaned as I rubbed myself with him, his arousal more prominent.  
I unclasped the front hook of my bra, freeing my chest. His mouth found my right nipple, sucking and nipping gently, and I arched into his touch. He stopped to make his way down my body, looking at me while he slowly removed my panties. A small moan escaped my lips. The excitement I felt wasn't unlike the first time he had "made love" to me. However, this time, his added effort to be romantic and personal made for an entirely new experience. The ambience he had created held me in its clutches.  
His cock sprang free from his boxer briefs as soon as he pulled them down. The end was glistening with pre cum, ready for me. But he didn't enter me yet. Instead, he let our naked bodies simply touch each other. Heat radiated from us both, more so from some places than others, and the feel of his erection against my thigh made me grow wetter. I swiveled my hips to position him. I needed him, my Link. When I looked up at his face, he brought his lips down to mine again, and entered me.  
My lips parted slightly against his mouth in a gasp as his hips pushed slowly forward. He filled me at a pace that was almost frustrating, but seemed to draw out anticipation and make the relief of him all the way inside me more satisfying. We kept kissing each other, not being as vocal as usual, continuing effort in occupying the other's mouth. As he pumped in and out of me, sensually, grinding, I found myself becoming emotional.  
Making love can be very different from fucking. Tenderness in sex can be vulnerable and cause a big emotional response. I recalled tears the last time Link had made love to me, but because of the night prior, my emotions were tenfold. Link, who wanted to hurt most women, wanted them for their bodies and nothing else, was making love to me. His gentleness was foreign to him, and made it all the more precious to me. For him to be doing this without guidance from Rhett, of his own accord... I was overwhelmed by the feelings I had for him in that moment.  
My orgasm began. It built so slowly but surely, and it shocked me how vividly I felt everything. My body tensed and trembled as I found my release, grasping at Link's back, hearing him groan into my mouth as I came. The sounds of him reaching his climax began soon after. He kissed me more furtively, his body tightening, and he spilled into me with a shudder. He lay his head on my chest as he caught his breath. All I could do was let the tears flow down my cheeks.

 _This man loves me_.


	6. Impending

I was glad that we still had one more day before Rhett came home. My face needed more time to heal. The bruising had become a bit yellow around the edges, showing signs of healing, but it still had a ways to go. Link and I discussed how we would tell Rhett. There would be no keeping it from him. We agreed that I would tell him, alone, so that I could try and keep him calm. There was no question in our minds that he would fly off the handle if we weren't careful.  
Link's anxiety was through the roof. I kissed him softly on his cheek when I came into his office to check on him on Thursday. He wrung his hands as he sighed, leaning on his desk.  
"It will be fine." I said softly, trying to reassure him. He glanced up to my face and grimaced. To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure that it WOULD be fine, but it felt better to stay positive.  
"You've seen Rhett mad before. And that was more over the IDEA of me hurting you. Wait til he sees that bruise!" Link lamented. His head drooped.

 _Tough love time._

"Rhett is your friend, not your boss. He may Dom or whatever to help you, but he can't punish you for slipping up. Come on." I scolded him lightly. "Have a little faith in him, too. He isn't heartless."  
Link sat back and looked at me blankly a moment. He looked a bit irritated. "I'm not a child, Des. I know he can't PUNISH me. I'm more worried that he will be so pissed for YOU that it could hurt our friendship. Which, of course, would hurt our business together, too."

 _I hadn't looked at it that way._

Instantly contrite, I pressed my lips together and nodded. "I'm sorry. I just hate to see you so worried. I really don't think he will be angry by the time I'm done talking to him, though. Really." I felt confident that I could keep him pacified.  
Despite his tension, he raised an eyebrow suggestively. "By the time your done with him, huh?" Link sighed and relaxed. "Want to practice?"  
I giggled, but upon seeing his serious expression, I agreed. I locked the door, though everyone was out for lunch, anyway. With my best straight face, I sat next to Link on the couch.  
"Rhett, I know you and I have discussed this before. I was the one who instigated it, and I wasn't careful. I'm not mad at Link, and I don't want you to-"  
Link was breathing hard, purposely, his face turning slightly red. His scowl was so comical that I couldn't focus. I stopped and grinned. "Really, Mister, you aren't helping." He smiled.  
"Rhett, I'll do aaaaaaanything for you not to be mad at Link..." I twirled with my hair and batted my eyes. "Aaaaaaaanything..." Just for shock value, I swung myself into his lap to straddle him.  
Link laughed and gripped my thighs. "Anything, huh darlin'?" He leaned in to kiss me, but I pulled just out of his reach.  
"You have to promise not to hurt Link or be mad..." I teased.  
Link pulled me to him, his eyes half closed, ready to drop the act. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." He kissed me hard. "Show me how bad you want me to forgive him." Link said, only half teasing. His eyes widened a bit in surprise when I kissed him again, eagerly, and began to rub myself on him. The dampness between my legs had already started. The heat emanating from him was contagious. My hands reached to either side of his neck to keep him close to me. The excitement began to build, and soon that tension and electricity was in the air.  
I ceased, breathlessly, within centimeters of his mouth, and whispered, "I really, really want it."

Pretending was over. Link pulled off my belt and began to undo my pants. When he couldn't do anymore, he flipped me on to my back on the couch and yanked them off of me. They ended up somewhere over by his desk. I sat up and returned the favor. His belt buckle jingled a bit when I undid it, the buttons of his pants came undone easily, and I swiftly pulled his boxer briefs down enough to free his now throbbing erection. My mouth wrapped around it tightly.  
He moaned as my tongue wrapped and twisted around him, stroking, licking, sucking, and pulling at him. I tasted every inch of it. My hand grabbed tightly around the base, twisting, sliding over him as I moved my mouth. The direction change had him swaying.  
"Desi..." He groaned, grasping the back of my head and leaning into me. I took him in as much as I was able. My other hand cupped his balls. His groans grew louder, and I moved a hand to squeeze his leg, reminding him to keep it down. I then climbed my hand up his torso to his chest. His heart was pounding. My fingers flexed, and I lightly scratched down to grip his leg again.  
He pulled my hair, forcing me to get off of him. "Panties off. Now." He growled. I obeyed with a smirk. I slid them down slowly, just to be mean, but hurried once I saw the expression on his face. Once they were off, I shrieked as my legs were lifted and I slid towards him. Link knelt and entered me fast, resting my legs on his shoulders, his hands on the back of the couch for leverage. He felt impossibly big and deep this way. He thrusted so hard that I gasped and cried out. My bruise hurt a little as he pressed a hand over my mouth to quiet me, but I ignored it, completely focused on the hard cock that was driving in and out of me.  
"Oh my God, baby, yes, oh fuck, just like that..." I was barely coherent. My words were muffled by his hand anyway, so it didn't really matter. Link panted as he pushed harder.

KNOCK KNOCK.

We froze.

"Link?" It was Lizzie. "Link, you in there?"  
I began to panic, but Link seemed to have no worries at all. "Des and I are talking. Private conversation. Be out in a few."

 _Oh, come on. That is so transparent._

We listened for a moment, but Lizzie seemed to have accepted that and gone. I began to move to sit up, but Link turned his attention back to me and held me fast.  
"Where do you think you're going?" He whispered wickedly. When I looked at him incredulously, he simply said, "Just shut up," as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
Everything was so sensitive. My climax was close, and I knew I had to keep silent as possible. Link covered my mouth again and continued. He looked so hot, his stare boring into me, looking at me through the bangs that had started to fall into his face, holding me exactly how he wanted me. Transfixed by his eyes, I became overwhelmed.  
"Mmm!" I moaned desperately against his hand. My hands gripped the ends of the seat, so tightly that my fingers began to shake. All that I was able to comprehend was the pleasure coursing through my body. My orgasm overtook me as I felt Link shudder and begin to climb as well. I couldn't stay completely quiet, but I managed to keep it under control, though my body trembled violently.  
Link wasn't as silent. "SHIT!" He exclaimed as he came, immediately clamping his mouth shut, no doubt working out how to explain that if anyone were to ask later.

...

"Pretend like you're upset." Link urged as we reached the door. We exited the office.

 _Oh great, improv. Which I suck at._

"Hey, if you need anything, let me know. I'm sorry you had to go through that. Some guys are just assholes." Link said, patting me on the shoulder.  
I faked a sad face. "Thanks for listening. You're a good friend." My eyes watered on command. Unfortunately, I could lie really well when I needed to. It was a gift I wasn't particularly proud of, but I guessed it was part of being an actor.  
Link smiled, looked around, then winked. "Anytime."


	7. Breaking

Rhett's voice carried down the hall. As soon as I made it to work, I could hear him, talking and laughing with the other people in the break room. It was all I could do not to run to him.  
"Desi!" He exclaimed, happy to see me. I resisted the urge to throw myself into his arms. I grinned ear to ear instead. Only a glint in his eye hinted at his affinity for me. The relief I felt from him being home made it feel as though a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.  
"Welcome home, Rhett!" I said, trying not to sound too giddy. He nodded at me.

 _Later. Later._  
...

On Good Mythical Morning that day, Rhett began passing out gifts. He handed a woolen scarf to Jen and Lizzie, there were little flasks for the guys, a few tins of shortbread cookies, and Stevie received a little figurine of a Unicorn. When he turned to me, he palmed something into my hand. As I unfolded my fingers, I gasped with delight. Hanging from a leather cord was a beautiful Celtic knot. The strands were silver and gold, weaving through each other to form a Trinity knot with what looked like a heart intertwined with it. The design was intricate enough that you had to really study it in order to understand what you were looking at.  
"I know you like jewelry." He shrugged, but I knew there was more meaning behind it. I touched it gently, the three points reminding me of him, Link, and myself.

 _And he acts like he is so tough. What a sap_.

I loved it. As we all "oohed" and "ahhhed" over our gifts, Rhett told us more about his adventures.  
"Not only did this guy save a town-"  
Link interjected, "With his entrepreneurial skills in the home defense field!"  
Rhett continued, "Not only did he save a town from The Dragon, he was a family man, like myself. So after this incident, he starts getting credited with all sorts of stuff. Killing wild animals threatening the townships, he saved a kid from drowning at one point... Then as the generations continued, the stories got more fanciful and more legend. So my ancestor was awesome, but he didn't battle an ACTUAL dragon, or battle with mythical beasts and stuff. But I'm gonna still say he did because it sounds cooler."  
Link gestured to the camera, "More on Rhett's adventures in Good Mythical More, you know what time it is!"  
...

I waited until everyone had settled back into other projects. As soon as I was able, I went to their office. The door clicked shut behind me and I locked it before running to him. Rhett chuckled as he lifted me and spun me around before tucking me into his arms and kissing me.  
"I'm so glad you're home!" I said into his shirt. His familiar scent was so comforting after the emotional roller coaster I had ridden that week.  
He held me as if I'd disappear if he let go. "I missed you so much. Both of you guys," he added, "It didn't feel right being without you two."  
After a final squeeze, we parted, and I looked at the necklace he had given me, now around my neck. "Thank you for this. I really love it." I touched the smooth finish, tracing the strands of the knot as I admired it. He had put thought into this gift, and I treasured it. My chin was lifted, and my heart leapt to my throat.

Rhett studied my cheek. His expression went from concerned confusion to a realization, and I knew this was it. No time to plan. The make up I had used to cover the bruise had faded a bit. His happy green eyes darkened. A tension filled the room as he turned to get a paper towel by the sink, wetted it, and returned to me. His hands gingerly wiped away the traces of make up I had left, revealing the shiner in all its glory. Link backed away.  
"Link, you need to leave this office right now." Rhett's tone held a sinister warning. He breathed deeply. Link immediately walked to the door, casting one last pleading glance my way before exiting, a worried look on his face. As soon as he was gone, Rhett relocked the door, and turned to face me again.  
"What happened?" He asked, surprisingly gentle. His concern outweighed his anger at the moment. His footsteps were the only sound in the room as he paced.  
I sat on his desk, not trusting my feet to hold me. I drew a deep breath as I began. I described the best I could without making it sound like Link was completely off his rocker, explaining how I had forgotten to be careful, how I hadn't thought to heed his warning before it was too late. " ...so Link isn't completely at fault." I said quietly. "I goaded him without thinking. And he was so angry and upset with himself, Rhett. You should have seen him. He cried so much."  
Rhett was sitting now, with his head in his hands, obviously trying to maintain composure. The anger inside of him threatened to erase the gentleness he had just shown me. "I warned you..."  
"I know, and I-"  
He interrupted me, "I can't force you to never be with him without me. But know this: if this ever happens again, it could ruin everything. It would mean the end of our livelihood together, our business, our lifelong friendship- I would kill him, Desiree."  
I stood planted, awestruck, my stomach somewhere in my feet. My breath stilled.

 _Stop talking like this. It won't happen. It won't_.

"Just looking at you now, it makes me want to go out there and drag him in here by the throat." Rhett wrung his hands. His eyes pierced me until he stared down at the floor again.  
Without warning, tears began to splash down my cheeks, my pride beyond healing.

 _This is is all my fault. If I hadn't egged Link on, we wouldn't be worried about this. We could be like we_ _were_.

My silence eventually prompted him to look up again. His angry stare softened immediately. "Desi..." He stood and crossed to me. His forehead rested on mine as he placed his large hands on my arms. The soft gesture was like one more weight on the dam, and I began to sob, all of my angst and emotion flowing out of me from the entire week he had been gone. Before I knew, he had lifted me, cradled, and sat with me on his lap like I was a child. My eyes wet his shoulder. He even rocked back and forth, trying to comfort me. All the weight of the world seemed like it was coming out of me, everything I'd carried the last few days: the anxiety, the stress, the hurt, the shame- it all fell from me in my tears.

 _I missed you. I needed you. I don't want you to hate Link. I don't want to hurt you two... Perhaps it would be better if I wasn't here._

The thought fell into my mind like a seed on rocky soil. The idea of ending this wouldn't fix anything. It would further complicate it. Besides, I was in love, and I wasn't willing to give that up without fighting first.  
"Rhett." I spoke once my sobs subsided, feeling spent and exhausted. "I am so in love with the two of you. And you're right, we need you. I need you." I sniffed. His beard was soft under my hand as I gazed lovingly at him. "But we need to work with Link. He has spent the rest of the week trying to make this up to me. I believe in him."  
Rhett's face remained impassive as he listened.  
"I believe he can get better. Rhett, he made love to me. He has more than once."  
His eyes widened slightly in surprise.  
I continued, "He isn't all anger and violence. He really does love me. He has some sort of PTSD, I think. And we can't hate him for that. How could we?"  
Rhett's face was unreadable. It seemed as though the thought of PTSD had never occurred to him before. I watched his face carefully, trying to decipher what I was seeing. After a moment, he spoke. "How do we help him?"  
I smiled. So there was hope after all. "We find him someone to talk to. A professional. Someone he can address these problems with and show us what we can do to help."  
Seeing his worried expression, I added, "The sessions would be protected under Doctor/Patient privilege, so it would be secret."  
Rhett slowly nodded. His anger seemed to ebb away. I sat up slightly to look into his face. "Rhett. I really did miss you. So much. I didn't realize-" I flushed slightly, "I didn't realize how much more I'd fallen for you until you left."  
His eyes gleamed. "I think we needed you a lot more than we ever realized, Des."


	8. Back

Link took the idea of therapy surprisingly well. His initial reaction was hesitant, but when he saw how much restraint Rhett was showing, he agreed. I supposed the idea of talking to someone was better than getting beaten to a pulp. As angry as Rhett was, I doubted he would actually hurt his friend, but I didn't question his ability to keep Link in line. Link found a therapist he thought sounded good, and made an appointment for the following Monday.  
Fortunately, it didn't seem too difficult for things to return to some semblance of "normal." The weekend was beckoning, and we were all ready for it. With Rhett home, I couldn't wait to get my hands on him, and it seemed he was of similar mind. We made plans for me to meet them that evening after work. My first stop was home, to gather some things. I adjusted my corset in the mirror. It was Rhett's first night back- I was going to make it memorable.

...

"Evenin', ma'am." Rhett drawled, grinning as he answered the door. His eyes sparkled in the dimming light. I raised my eyebrow and smiled. I watched as his eyes grazed over my long maxi dress curiously.  
"Going to invite me in, darling?"  
With a wink, he stepped back and held the door open. My pulse quickened immediately. Just the heat from his body as I walked past him was enough to make me feel wobbly. Electricity hung in the air, sending shivers down my spine. Unable to bring myself to walk any further than a few steps, I turned to face him while he closed the door, finding myself dizzy all of a sudden.

 _You're Dom tonight. I reminded myself._

Rhett stepped in to peck my cheek, but I grabbed his chin and turned my head, planting a hard kiss squarely on his lips. He murmured into my mouth, pleasantly surprised. His eyes were half closed when I pulled away.  
"I missed you." He said breathlessly.  
My lips parted in a smile. "I missed you, too." My fingers brushed the side of his face tenderly. "Shall we go upstairs?"  
Rhett grinned and called out, "LINK! UPSTAIRS!"  
...

I sent the boys ahead to the bedroom while I excused myself to the bathroom. My maxi dress came off easily, and I stood there in my deep purple brocade corset, matching thong, stockings, and black heels. My smokey eye make up was perfect. I grinned with satisfaction, knowing Rhett especially would be pleased.  
The click of my heels on the hard floor heralded my arrival. I saw the glow of candlelight emanating from the room at the end of the hall, shaking my head at their overture, again. Ambience always seemed so important to these two.

 _But it suits them_.

My shadow had barely darkened the doorway before I heard a sharp intake of breath. Rhett's face revealed that he had the exact reaction I had been hoping for. He sat in the chair facing the bed, shirtless, gripping the armrests. Link was directly opposite him, seated on the foot of the bed. Both sets of eyes grazed over me deliciously. Every inch of my skin tingled with anticipation.  
Feeling brazen, I walked over to Rhett first, positioning myself so that Link had a great view of my backside. Rhett didn't move, but his eyes looked slightly upward to meet mine, his expression dark. The corners of his mouth turned up in a small smile. I bit my lip as I stood tall and looked down at him.  
"Did you miss me?" I asked. I brushed my hands up his arms, to the sides of his neck, to his hair.  
He closed his eyes under my touch. "Oh, yes."  
My grip tightened. "Good." I pulled his head back and leaned in to kiss him, hard. He returned the kiss eagerly, his tongue seeking mine out, which I welcomed. My heart beat overwhelmingly fast. I straddled him in the chair in a need to feel his body close to mine. He felt along my hips and corset with his fingertips, then moved to grab my ass. My legs burned as he ran his hands over them. It was too much.  
"Rhett..." My forehead rested against his. "Rhett, take me. Right now." In spite of my best efforts, my need won over my attempts at finesse. I was so wet, and every bit of me was pulsing as I struggled to breathe. Moaning, I gave in to my desire and let go of the control I had planned on wielding. I had missed him too damned much to hold out tonight.  
Rhett's eyes lit up wickedly. Without removing his forehead from mine, he swiftly undid his belt. His arm held me up as he stood just long enough for his pants to fall to the floor, pulled my thong to the side, and brought me down on to his cock quickly. I gasped as he filled me, the entirety of him deep within me, feeling every inch press into every nerve. Rhett's mouth opened slightly as he entered me, looking as hungry for me as I was for him. The time apart had left us aching, and we were both desperate to sate our lust, burying ourselves in each other.  
His mouth left a trail of kisses down my neck, down to my décolletage, which had been pushed up under the strain of the corset. Somehow it made everything more sensitive. My hips swiveled as I fucked him, keeping him deep inside of me. I savored the sounds of pleasure that came from him.  
"Des..." His voice was deep and throaty. "Baby...oh, yeah..."  
Link cleared his throat.

 _I nearly forgot!_

Rhett looked around me to glare at Link.  
I guided his face back to mine. "Be sweet." His eyes gleamed and he bit his lip.  
"Sweet?" He snarled. "You want sweet?" He braced himself on his arm and used his other to hold me to him, supporting his weight enough that he could raise and lower his hips a little. He began to thrust into me with ferocity. In, out, in, out- All I could do was hold on as my body crumpled around him.  
"Oh my God, take it! YES!" I cried out in my orgasm. He continued relentlessly until he was certain I was through. With my head on his chest, I felt him nod his head. Link's arms hooked under mine to lift me up, and I groaned as Rhett's warmth was replaced by the cool chill of the air. I was placed gently on the bed.

Link's hands traveled over me delicately, well aware that Rhett was watching him like a hawk. He moved his focus to my thong, slipping it down my legs, detangling it from my heels without removing my shoes. As soon as the thong left his hands, he stroked his way back up my legs until he was crouched between them. I leaned back in ecstasy as his tongue moved around the sensitive parts of my inner thighs. He teased me mercilessly before finally beginning to pleasure me.

Rhett's eyes never left us. He touched himself fervently, his eyes intense as they watched me. My back arched in pleasure as Link worked my clit, circling, rubbing, and finally plunging his tongue into me. My cries and moans were unbidden and unstoppable.

 _He is so GOOD at this_.

I felt myself on the verge of climax again, but Link's movements suddenly stopped. I opened my eyes to see Rhett standing beside him, a hand on his shoulder.

"Only I get to make her cum tonight." Rhett looked at me the entire time he addressed his friend. Those green eyes seemed to bore a hole through me.

Link looked disappointed, but he didn't dare let it show too much, after the mercy Rhett had shown him earlier. He submitted willingly, banishing himself to the chair.

Rhett smirked down at me, rubbing himself. "You thought you were going to be in charge tonight, huh?"

I blushed. "Well, if you weren't so damned sexy... I might have stood a chance." I looked him up and down. The smile on his face grew. He leaned down over me and inhaled, his mouth traveling from my neck to my ear, giving me the most palatable chill. His large hands fingered the brocade corset again.

"Turn over." He whispered. I happily obliged. I felt him tracing the back laces, figuring out how to remove my confinement. My body was lifted up again until I found myself standing beside the bed. Rhett sat behind me, his fingers deftly and slowly untying, enjoying the view of my ass as he did so. I felt the corset loosen gradually, until the last lace was undone, and Rhett slid his hands down my bare torso. His arms wrapped around the front of me, touching my breasts, and he pulled me down into his lap again.

 _OH._

Sitting on him like this gave me wonderful control. However deep I wanted him, the speed- it was at my command. At the moment, he was fully immersed in me, and I ground myself against him in complete bliss. The way his cock pressed in to me made my entire experience overwhelming enough that I felt as though I were floating. My body was drifting, lost in the sensations. Link was watching us with a small grin, his lack of action obviously not bothering him THAT much- his erection was grasped firmly in his hand.

Rhett's hands gripped my hips, the pressure changing with every swivel and thrust. "Desiree... I'm gonna cum if you keep going, baby...fuck..."

His warning only fueled my efforts. "Give it to me. I want it." My voice sounded husky.

He began to grip me tighter, feeling along my breasts and torso, making some of the most amazing sounds. I could tell he was close. Just knowing he was so aroused made me quicken. "Rhett! Yes... Oh fuck baby, do it, oh yes!" My head was thrown back in my climax. I tightened around him as he gave a final swell. He felt impossibly hard as he shuddered.

"Oh my God!" He shoved me forward and off of him, and I held myself up on the wall. My torso felt heavy, and I stood there with my back arched, my ass still raised to him, and I felt him moving his hand over himself as he came. Warm and sticky cum landed all over my backside, and I groaned at how HOT it was. Rhett fell back to the bed, breathing hard.

A small moan from the other side of the room told us that Link had found his pleasure, too. I found his eyes and he spoke from underneath his disheveled bangs, "You look amazing right now."

I was sure that I didn't, but his facial expression told me otherwise. I glanced down to my stockings and heels, still remaining, and imagined the sight of my back arched as I leaned on the wall, cum all over my ass. I smiled lasvisiously.

Rhett broke the silence, "I have to agree. I couldn't last." He grabbed his tshirt and began to clean me up. "I missed you so much..."

I sighed. "I wasn't going to last long in the position, anyway- that was amazing."

Before long, the three of us were laying down, talking and marveling at each other in our nudity. I felt complete again. Both my boys were here, and I was a goddess once more.


	9. Start Trying

"Come with me this week," Link said, "Dr. Isaac said I need to go over things with you two. Please?" His blue eyes were pleading, shy. I knew it wasn't easy for him to ask.  
I embraced him. "Of course! I'll be there whenever you need me."  
"I know." He murmured softly into my hair. I felt his gratitude in his arms as they held me. Since Rhett had returned, the three of us had been walking on eggshells in the bedroom. Every time Link touched me, Rhett was on alert. It made for a dissatisfying experience for Link, and added anxiety to Rhett's. While I was always taken care of, the tension grew tiresome, and I found myself eager to be done with the situation. Dr. Isaac seemed to be helping, and I was willing to do whatever it took to move things along.  
Link ran his hand down my back. "You've been so supportive, Des, and I still can't wrap my head around it."  
I held him tighter. "You're a good man, and I love you. And as long as you are trying to get better and still love me, I'll be there."  
His breath hitched. He pulled away from me slightly to look me in the eyes. Upon closer inspection, his eyes were glassy. "And I'll never stop trying, or... You- you're so amazing, Desiree. Anyone else would have taken off." In shame, he turned his face as a tear escaped and ran down his cheek.  
My hand turned him back to face me again so that I could kiss him.

 _I'll love you forever_.

...

Both Rhett and Link looked a bit nervous. Rhett bounced his knee and tapped his foot while he stared intently into space. Link wrung his hands. For some reason I was strangely calm. The office was atypical. Instead of a leather couch, a hammock hung from the ceiling. Chair swings hung to replace the typical chairs. Dim lighting made for a soothing ambience. It smelled of vanilla. Numerous certificates and plaques lined the sky blue walls, but it was the only thing that reminded us that this was a therapist's office.  
The round faced, friendly Dr. Isaac sat in his chair facing us at an angle. The man was immediately likable, with a warm smile and kind eyes, but had a hardness about him that warned against any doubts of his ability to handle patients.  
"Rhett, why don't you tell Link what you're worried about?" The man sat with his pen poised to write in the notepad on his lap.  
Rhett looked uncomfortable. I reached over and patted his arm reassuringly, which earned me a grateful smile. "Like, about his issues?"  
"Right. I want you to talk to Link about why you're worried." Dr. Isaac nodded.  
"Well," Rhett shifted to see Link better. "You get so out of control when you go into... into that zone. When we started this thing with Desiree," he reached over and took my hand, "We talked about how I felt before I ever said anything to her. This isn't just another girl to me, and I will do what I have to in order to keep her safe."  
I glowed on the inside.  
"And do you think that your presence guarantees her safety?" Dr. Isaac asked.  
Rhett looked determined and certain. "Yeah, I do." He squeezed my hand.  
Link sat in his chair swing, rocking himself back and forth, looking thoughtful and sad. It took everything I had not to go to him and kiss that look off of his face. Seeing him so torn up was devastating.  
The doctor turned his inquiries to me. "Desiree, do you feel safe with Link?"  
It felt as though everyone held their breath as they awaited my answer.

 _Do I?_

it had been a couple of weeks, but the worry was still there. Then again, he had made love to me and more than made up for his mistake. But did I really feel safe? Like I could relax?  
"If we monitor the situation, yes." I replied, trying not to look at Link. "I believe he would never intentionally hurt me in his right mind."  
Dr. Isaac accepted that answer. His eyes glanced to Link, who was looking at him with questioning eyes. "Then Link, we have work to do in order to help you cope with your PTSD. If you are to form meaningful relationships, it is essential that you continue therapy." He turned to Rhett and me, "If we need you again, will you be willing to come in?"  
We nodded enthusiastically.  
...

Rhett and I left the room, leaving Link with Dr. Isaac. I looked at Link as we walked out, silently willing him to know how much I loved him. He smiled.  
The door closed behind us, leaving us in an empty hallway, and Rhett turned to me. "I meant what I said in there, you know. I will protect you."  
I looked up into his beautiful eyes, shining so fiercely as they gazed down at me. "I know."  
"And I love you." Rhett seemed intent on making sure that point was comprehended. "That will never happen to you again. Ever. Not while I'm around."  
While I know he meant well, I couldn't help feeling a little upset that he was missing the point. I spoke gently. "We are here to make sure it doesn't even if you aren't, Rhett."  
He scowled and shook his head. "I just don't know, Des."  
"I do." My face was impassive as I stroked his arm. "We will get past this. We have to."


	10. My World

"Come with me this week," Link said, "Dr. Isaac said I need to go over things with you two. Please?" His blue eyes were pleading, and somewhat shy. I knew it wasn't easy for him to ask.  
I embraced him. "Of course! I'll be there whenever you need me."  
"I know." He murmured softly into my hair. I felt his gratitude in his arms as they held me. Since Rhett had returned, the three of us had been walking on eggshells in the bedroom. Every time Link touched me, Rhett was on alert. It made for a dissatisfying experience for Link, and added anxiety to Rhett's. While I was always taken care of, the tension grew tiresome, and I found myself eager to be done with the situation. Dr. Isaac seemed to be helping, and I was willing to do whatever it took to move things along.  
Link ran his hand down my back. "You've been so supportive, Des, and I still can't wrap my head around it."  
I held him tighter. "You're a good man, and I love you. And as long as you are trying to get better and still love me, I'll be there."  
His breath hitched. He pulled away from me slightly to look me in the eyes. Upon closer inspection, I noticed his eyes were glassy. "And I'll never stop trying, or... You- you're so amazing, Desiree. Anyone else would have taken off." In shame, he turned his face as a tear escaped and ran down his cheek.  
My hand turned him back to face me again so that I could kiss him.

 _I'm not going anywhere_.

...

Both Rhett and Link looked a bit nervous. Rhett bounced his knee and tapped his foot while he stared intently into space. Link wrung his hands. For some reason I was strangely calm.  
The office was atypical. Instead of a leather couch, a hammock hung from the ceiling. Comfortable chairs rested beside it for those who didn't wish to lay down. Dim lighting made for a soothing ambience. It smelled of vanilla. Numerous certificates and plaques lined the sky blue walls, but it was the only thing that reminded us that this was a therapist's office.  
The round faced, friendly Dr. Isaac sat in his chair facing us at an angle. The man was immediately likable, with a warm smile and kind eyes, but had a hardness about him that warned against any doubts of his ability to handle patients.  
"Rhett, why don't you tell Link what you're worried about?" The man sat with his pen poised to write in the notepad on his lap.  
Rhett looked uncomfortable. I reached over and patted his arm reassuringly, which earned me a grateful smile. "Like, about his issues?"  
"Right. I want you to talk to Link about why you're worried." Dr. Isaac nodded.  
"Well," Rhett shifted to see Link better. "You get so out of control when you go into... into that zone. When we started this thing with Desiree," he reached over and took my hand, "We talked about how I felt before I ever said anything to her. This isn't just another girl to me, and I will do what I have to in order to keep her safe."  
I glowed on the inside.  
"And do you think that your presence guarantees her safety?" Dr. Isaac asked.  
Rhett looked determined and certain. "Yeah, I do." He squeezed my hand.  
Link sat on the hammock, rocking himself back and forth, looking thoughtful and sad. It took everything I had not to go to him and kiss that look off of his face. Seeing him so torn up was devastating.  
The doctor turned his inquiries to me. "Desiree, do you feel safe with Link?"  
It felt as though everyone held their breath as they awaited my answer.

 _Do I?_

it had been a couple of weeks, but the worry was still there. Then again, he had made love to me and more than made up for his mistake. But did I really feel safe? Like I could relax?  
"If we monitor the situation, yes." I replied, trying not to look at Link. "I believe he would never intentionally hurt me in his right mind."  
Dr. Isaac accepted that answer. His eyes glanced to Link, who was looking at him with questioning eyes. "Then Link, we have more work to do in order to help you cope with your PTSD. If you are to form meaningful relationships, it is essential that you continue therapy." He turned to Rhett and me, "If we need you again, will you be willing to come in?"  
We nodded enthusiastically.  
...

Rhett and I left the room, leaving Link with Dr. Isaac. I looked at Link as we walked out, silently willing him to know how much I loved him. He smiled.  
The door closed behind us, leaving us in an empty hallway, and Rhett turned to me. "I meant what I said in there, you know. I will protect you."  
I looked up into his beautiful eyes, shining so fiercely as they gazed down at me. "I know."  
"And I love you." Rhett seemed intent on making sure that point was comprehended. "That will never happen to you again. Ever. Not while I'm around."  
While I know he meant well, I couldn't help feeling a little upset that he was missing the point. I spoke gently. "We are here to make sure it doesn't even if you aren't, Rhett."  
He scowled and shook his head. "I just don't know, Des."  
"I do." My face was impassive as I stroked his arm. "We will get past this. We have to."  
My knees quaked as Rhett leaned down to kiss me. His demeanor was so intense, so protective, so passionate. My lips felt as though they were trembling when he pulled back.

 _How does he manage to do this to me_?

That feeling only increased as he smirked. "Want to come over?"  
...

I shook unintentionally. Rhett's face was buried between my legs, his tongue working me mercilessly. He had practically dragged me upstairs, and I gave myself completely over to him, allowing him to do whatever he wanted.  
"Oh God, that's so good..." I moaned, writhing and moving my hips. His hands held me so that I wouldn't involuntarily move away from him. More little sounds and whines escaped my mouth. I glanced down at one point to see him looking at my face, gauging my reactions as he moved his tongue. His eye contact sent me reeling. "OH MY GOD! RHETT! YES!" My entire body tensed as I climaxed.  
The bed shifted as he moved to hover above me and kiss his way up my neck.  
"I love the sounds you make." He whispered into my ear. I felt his whiskers on my jaw, and I turned eagerly to meet his mouth. My own taste on his lips was intoxicating. I gasped softly as his large erection bumped into my overly sensitive clit before he pushed into me. Soon, I found myself falling into another orgasm, wrapping my body around his as best I could, unable to get enough of him. His heavy breathing into my neck and the hardness of his thrusts took my breath away.  
My fingertips dug into his back as I cried out, "Rhett, take it, FUCK!" My voice became desperate and I whined, "Oh! I want it! I want it! Please..."  
I heard his breathing change as he began to climb. "Christ... Des!" As he came, I felt him pull out of me and finish.  
Time seemed to slow, and the room was spinning around me. My heart raced. All I felt at this moment was the need to lay there and be. When I closed my eyes, I felt Rhett move on the bed to lay beside me. My head turned to face him, even though my eyes remained closed, and I felt his hand on my face, his thumb stroking my cheek. My world at that moment shrank down to this moment. There was no distraction, no worry, no anxiety...everything was Rhett.


	11. Finally

As time went on, it became easier. Link went to therapy once a week, now, instead of his two appointments. He seemed more at ease with himself, and with that came new overtures that I could never predict. One day I came to work and there were roses on my desk again. Other days there would be little notes left on my chair saying things like, "I hope I see you smile today," or "You are so beautiful." My favorite, though, had to be on the day I was in a particularly hormonal and foul mood; he left a chocolate bar in my desk with a note attached that said, "You're so amazing and I hope that you feel better. Let me know if you just need someone to hold you." The gesture had brought tears to my eyes.

It had been four months since his first appointment with Dr. Isaac. The situation between the three of us hadn't changed too much. Rhett still kept a watchful eye on Link, and Link was always conscious of it. While I knew that Link enjoyed taking orders from Rhett, I also knew that if he wanted to be with me alone, he wasn't allowed that. It saddened me to know that I wasn't able to fully trust this man I loved, through no fault of his own. Rhett didn't seem to mind much, but he had been used to this dynamic with Link for so long that it didn't affect him the same way. The difference was, Link WANTED to be able to be alone with me sometimes. He loved me.

...

"WHAT?" Rhett couldn't believe his ears. He almost looked angry.  
Dr. Isaac spoke patiently, not allowing the tension to escalate. We sat in his office, Link sitting in the hammock, myself in a chair beside Rhett. I placed my hand on Rhett's knee to try and calm him, but he moved away.  
"Rhett, in order for Link to make progress, you have to allow him and Desiree time together." He coughed, trying not to sound uncomfortable, "Allow them intimate time alone. If they are to move past the incident that occurred, they must be allowed time and opportunity." Dr. Isaac looked intently at Rhett.  
The response was met with an exasperated sigh. "We have been just fine these last few months. I've been keeping an eye on it."  
Dr. Isaac turned to me. "Desiree, how do you feel about being left alone to work this out? Do you feel like things have been fine since Link started therapy?"  
All eyes shifted to me. My eyes darted to each face, seeing Rhett's protective apprehension, Dr. Isaac's kind eyes, and finally rested on Link. I was surprised at what I saw. Link looked at me with such a tenderness in his eyes, an understanding. It gave me courage to speak my mind.  
"It's been... Working. But..."  
Rhett shifted and leaned forward. I took a deep breath before I continued.  
"Rhett and I have gotten very close. We have plenty of times to be alone. Even though I love it, it feels ...unbalanced."  
Link looked at me hopefully.  
"I love Link, too. I don't want to ever make him feel like a third wheel, because he isn't! I... If you think he is ready to be alone with me, I will do what I can to support him getting better." I turned to Rhett, who was scowling. "If this is going to work, we have to be able to trust each other."  
Rhett's demeanor softened a bit. He looked thoughtful a moment. After what felt like forever, he placed his hand over mine and nodded. I gestured to Link to come over to us. Rhett stood and looked down into his friend's eyes. Some unspoken message passed between the two of them, and Link nodded. Rhett pulled him into a tight hug. "I love you, brother."  
A single tear fell down my cheek.

...…

Link looked nervous as he opened the door. Earlier that day, Rhett had joined me in my office.  
"Please be careful tonight." He spoke softly into my hair as he had wrapped his long arms around me. "I'll be nearby. Just call and I'll come straight home." His arms had gripped me as if trying to shield me from the world. I had kissed him, reassured him, and promised to be vigilant.  
Now, arriving at their house, seeing Link's face put me at ease. Rhett had gone out for the evening. Link smiled and spoke timidly, "Hey, baby."

 _He is so beautiful_.

I wasn't sure what came over me, but as soon as I stepped over the threshold, I had to touch him. I stepped closer to him as he closed the door, sliding my arm under his, using my other hand to brush his cheek. We lingered there for a moment. My eyes searched his. I became aware of everything: the cadence of our breathing, the rapidness of my own heartbeat, the brush of the front of his body on mine, the heat from his breath against my lips. Time stood still, until I broke the spell by pressing my mouth against his. His hand flexed against my back, pulling me even closer.  
It had been so long since we had been alone together. I was able to focus on everything. My hand slid back from his face to his hair, running my fingers through it, gripping it. His glasses began to fog and get in the way, and he pulled his face away long enough to take them off and breathe, "Jeez..."  
I smiled and bit my lip. My body felt as though I'd crumble at any moment and just sink to the floor. "Doctor's orders, right?" I said coyly.  
My answer was Link crushing his lips against mine, fervently seeking out my tongue, his hands wandering and pulling me to him in every movement. I melted into him.  
I cried out as he pulled away quickly, grabbing my hand and leading me upstairs. We both giggled a bit, laughing at our own excitement as we climbed the stairs as quickly as we could.  
"No." He pulled my hand as I started towards the room at the end of the hall. I turned and saw that he had stopped in the doorway to his room. He yanked my arm, and I stepped forward to keep myself from falling as I landed in his embrace. His lips met mine again. Our hands scrambled, tugging at eachother's garments, landing in a heap on his bed. He lifted off of me just enough to let me pull his tshirt over his head. I fumbled with his belt as he pulled at the buttons of my blouse. With every moment, my desire rose. It felt as though an eternity passed as we struggled out of our clothing. Desperation coursed through my body. I needed him.  
Finally, I lay naked underneath him. My hips swiveled up to meet his erection, but he smiled and moved out of reach. My mouth parted in a surprised pout. His eyes gleamed as he leaned in to kiss me, purposefully taking his time. He silently took control as I felt myself become overwhelmed with my desire, writhing under his touch, screaming inside my mind.

 _Fuck, why? Just take it_!

The kisses trailed to my jawline, beneath my ear, down my neck, to my chest. His breath was hot against my increasingly sensitive skin. He teased me by lingering over my nipple, then tracing my breast with his lips, before continuing down my navel. My hips moved, unbidden, shifting as he kissed across my hipbone, down my thigh, over to my pussy. I inhaled sharply as he moved back up to my mouth.  
"You tease." I spoke breathlessly. My pulse fluttered so rapidly that I felt lightheaded.  
Link smiled again, "Is that what I'm doing?" He grabbed his cock and ran it along my thigh.  
I whined as he looked mischievously at me. "Please... Link..."  
In one swift motion, he was inside of me. I gasped as I felt him fill me. "Ah!" My back arched, and he ran a hand down my torso, over my breast, down to my waist. He gripped my ass as he pushed into me, grinding his cock into me, making me take and feel all of his girth. My legs wrapped around him as I took him in. A flood of moans and curses flowed from my lips.  
"You're so hot." He spoke with a tense voice, rocking into me, containing his own pleasure. He lifted my right leg up over his shoulder. The stretch made his cock hit me more deeply, and I cried out in ecstasy. He began to fuck me slowly, deliberate in his movements, and our breathing and moans filled the room. When it became too much, I felt my orgasm beginning.  
"Baby, oh, God..." He stopped. I looked at him, bewildered. Link just smiled. I felt my frustration growing. He had been teasing me all evening, and I wanted him NOW.  
I pushed up into him, kissing him, leaning forward so far that he had to fall back on to his hands. I held on to his shoulders and held myself up on my feet, over him as he remained kneeling. My body took over as I lifted and lowered myself on to him, taking what I wanted. He was unable to reciprocate in this position, making it easier to make sure I was in control. As I climaxed, I pressed onto his cock, feeling him inside me, delicious pressure pushing me into an intense orgasm. I collapsed on him, unable to move for a moment, and he gently shifted to take me into his arms and lay me back down. His hips began to move again, slowly. I whimpered as he moved. When I had recovered, I felt my desire return. A crazed feeling took me over. I looked at him, wild eyed, and grabbed his face. Even though I knew what I was doing was dangerous, I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't care.  
"Hit me." I whispered.

SMACK.

My mind was reeling. I looked at him in shock. I had expected more of a surprised reaction from him, maybe a little resistance. But he responded as soon as I asked. And then he placed his hand back on the bed, continuing to move his hips. He smiled devilishly, raising an eyebrow at me, as if to say, "See?"  
A smile crept over my face, my eyes wide. "Again."

SMACK.

"Oh, FUCK!" I came again, so suddenly that I hadn't even had an inkling it was coming. I blinked, and breathed hard, staring into Link's eyes with a feverish intensity. I propped myself on my elbows as I looked up at him in awe.  
Link was overcome. He fell into me and kissed me hard, groaning into my mouth, fucking me hard until he pulled away, gasping. I watched as he grasped his member, finishing himself off until he came all over my abdomen. My head dropped back as I closed my eyes, moaning again at the amazing feeling.  
Link dropped to the bed next to me, panting. I laid back and turned my head towards him. He opened his eyes and grinned. "Finally."


	12. Deeper (End)

Rhett sat with Link on the couch. I looked at them as I walked in the door, beaming.

"Come sit, babe, we need to talk." Rhett said. He and Link moved apart so that I could sit between them. As I snuggled into them, I noticed Link gripping his knee tightly, and Rhett was bouncing his leg.

 _Uh oh. Why are they nervous?_

The tension in the room was palpable. Something was off. Of course, the worst scenarios jumped into my mind first. My pulse began to race.

 _Oh God. This is it. They have finally had enough of me. Brace yourself, Des._

Link began, "These past months have been more than we expected. It's been a roller coaster." His thumb rubbed his knee, and I found myself staring at it, fully prepared to hear the worst.

Rhett added, "We can never thank you enough for everything."

"But?" I asked softly. Tears threatened to spill down my cheeks at any moment. I trembled.

"We need something more." Link said.

That did it. A tear fell. Rhett leaned back in surprise and moved to wipe it away. "Why are you crying, baby?"

My voice broke. "I was afraid that this was going to happen. This isn't going to affect work, will it? I don't want to lose my job!" More tears fell.

Link tilted my chin up. "Des- we are asking you to move in with us."

 _Wait- WHAT_?

I looked into his eyes. They twinkled with amusement. I felt embarrassed.

"You were acting all serious like you were about to break up with me!" I exclaimed, wiping my eyes and playfully slapping his knee.

Rhett grabbed my shoulder, "Desi, look at me." I turned to face him and he continued, "We love you. We aren't going anywhere. Or sending you anywhere. In fact, we want you CLOSER. Move in with us."

Link chimed in, "Of course we'll have to be careful to not all arrive at work at the same time or anything, and keep it secret. But we want you here."

My tears were no match for the elation that filled me at that moment. I threw my arms around Rhett, then Link. "Of course! Of course I will!" I giggled at my foolishness.

The two of them joined in, chuckling and squeezing me tightly. As I kissed each of them, I knew that I could never get in too deep with these two. This is where I belonged.


End file.
